SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Friday, May 3 vs. Pensacola Blue Wahoos: 6:35 PM CT: Trustmark Park

Published on May 3, 2024 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Friday, May 3, 2024 - 6:35 PM CT - Trustmark Park - Pearl, MS

M-BRAVES (8-16, 4th, SL South, -5.0) vs. Pensacola (13-11, 1st, SL South, --)

Starting Pitchers: RHP JJ Niekro (1-2, 3.92) vs. RHP Evan Fitterer (1-1, 4.43)

Watch Live: Bally Live / MiLB.TV / MLB At Bat

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Today's Roster Move

RHP Anthony Vizcaya transferred to Mississippi from Triple-A Gwinnett

RHP Peyton Williams released from the Mississippi roster

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves and Blue Wahoos play game four of a six-game series tonight at Trustmark Park. This is the seventh of 30 meetings between the clubs this season. Pensacola swept the season's Opening Series at Blue Wahoos Stadium, April 5-8. They will meet again June 4-9 for a six-game series at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: After his third-straight solid outing on the mound, Atlanta's second-ranked prospect Hurston Waldrep finally notched his elusive first Mississippi Braves win in a 6-1 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Thursday night. Waldrep was backed by three two-run innings and 12 hits, including five doubles. Waldrep left in the top of the sixth inning after 80 pitches (50 strikes) and 5.2 innings. He allowed one unearned run on four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Yolbert Sanchez paced the offense with three hits, finishing 3-for-4 with a run. Brandon Parker backed up his two extra-base hits on Wednesday with two more on Thursday, going 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored. Horne was 2-for-4, and Cade Bunnell was 2-for-4. Jonathan Hughes and Parker Dunshee were lights out behind Waldrep. Hughes worked 2.1 scoreless innings on one hit with three strikeouts, and Dunshee struck out the side in the top of the ninth inning.

GOING FISHING: The M-Braves are 1-5 so far this season against the Blue Wahoos ... Mississippi went 13-17 against Pensacola last season, 8-10 at Blue Wahoos Stadium, and 5-7 at Trustmark Park ... The M-Braves have won the season series two of the last three seasons, going 44-40 from 2021-2023 ... The M-Braves are 122-127 all-time against the Wahoos franchise.

WINNING WALDREP: Hurston Waldrep, the Atlanta Braves' first-round pick in 2023 (24th overall), earned his first professional win on Thursday night. Over his previous three starts, Waldrep has a 1.04 ERA, giving up just two earned runs in 17.2 innings.

NEED FOR SPEED: The M-Braves lead all of Double-A in stolen bases with 53 (53/61-87%)) through 24 games. Justin Dean and Cody Milligan are tied for the team lead and T-4th in the Southern League with 11. Geraldo Quintero has 10, which is 8th in the league ... Mississippi had 157 (1.1 per game) stolen bases last season and is on pace for 305 (2.2 per game) in 2024. The most by an M-Braves team was 159 in 2007.

THE DEAN OF THE CLASS: The Mauldin, SC native is currently on a nine-game hitting streak, batting .313 with three doubles, a homer, eight RBI, five walks, and a .905 OPS. He currently ranks among the league leaders in batting average (4th, .317), OBP (3rd, .405), OPS (8th, .881), and stolen bases (T-4th, 11) ... Dean has appeared in 252 games for the M-Braves since 2021

YOLBERT SANCHEZ IS ON A TEAR: 27-year-old Yolbert Sanchez has six hits over his last two games, including a double and home run. Over his last five games, the Havana, Cuba native has a 1.097 OPS. Sanchez has hit in 10 of 11 games played this year, posting a .395 batting average, three doubles, a home run, five RBI, and a .970 OPS. The Braves signed Sanchez as a minor league free agent on January 14.

"NACHO" AVERAGE SHORT STOP: Atlanta's top-ranked position player prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr., went on a 13-game on-base streak, the longest by a Mississippi player this season. The 21-year-old ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (T-4th, 13), hits (T-9th, 22), and OBP (T-9th, .385).

M-BRAVES REACH 1,200 WINS: Thursday night's 13-3 win over Montgomery was Mississippi's 1,200th in franchise history. It took the M-Braves until the sixth game of the inaugural season in 2005 to win the first game in club history, which was a 7-4 win over the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx in game two of a doubleheader at Pringles Park on April 12, 2005. Jeff Francoeur was 0-for-3, with a walk and RBI, in the game, using a five-run sixth fueled by RBIs by Scott Thorman, Francoeur, and Derrick Gibson. Brian O'Connor got the win for Mississippi.

PRIDE OF FLORIDA STATE: In five starts, LHP Drew Parrish has paced the rotation with a 2.66 ERA (7 ER/23.2 IP), four walks, and 24 strikeouts. Overall, the former Florida State star is 2-2 with a 3.55 ERA (10 ER/25.1 IP), seven walks, and 26 strikeouts in six games.

GIVE ME FIVE: The M-Braves are 7-7 when their starters go 5+ innings and 1-9 when starters go less than 5.0 innings. In the 14 games with 5+ innings, they have combined for a 2.03 ERA (18 ER/80.0 IP). In the 10 games of less than 5, the starter's ERA is 7.69 (30 ER/35.1 IP).

TOP PROSPECTS: According to MLB Pipeline, the M-Braves have five of Atlanta's Top 30 prospects. RHP Hurston Waldrep (No. 2), SS Nacho Alvarez Jr. (No. 6), C Drake Baldwin (No. 11), LHP Luis De Avila (No. 20), and INF/OF Geraldo Quintero (No. 28) are included. In Baseball America's Top 30, OF Cody Milligan (No. 27), RHP Ian Mejia (No. 28), and INF Keshawn Ogans (No. 30) are included.

COACHING STAFF WITH A NEW FLO: After spending one season as manager of the Braves High-A affiliate Rome Braves (Emperors), Angel Flores will take the reins for the first time at the Double-A level, succeeding Kanekoa Texeira. Texeira was promoted to manager of the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers after Matt Tuiasosopo was named to the Braves' Major League coaching staff for 2024. Flores returns to Mississippi, where he served as bench coach in 2022. Flores took over as interim manager from April 26 to May 15, 2022, while Bruce Crabbe took a leave of absence from the club. During the 18-game stretch, the M-Braves went 10-8. During his first season as a full-time manager last year, Flores led the R-Braves to a 34-32 record in the second half and an overall 64-68 mark. Rome closed the year with a 21-15 record in August and September. Overall, he holds a 74-76 record as a manager.

MISSISSIPPI MADE: M-Braves outfielder Brandon Parker, a native of Saucier, MS, on the Gulf Coast and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College product, became the first player to prep in Mississippi and play for the M-Braves since Austin Riley in 2017. Riley prepped at Desoto Central in North Mississippi ... Parker was a two-time All-American at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Parker attended West Harrison High School.

FINAL SEASON IN MISSISSIPPI: On January 9, it was announced that after 20 years, 2024 will be the M-Braves' final season in Pearl, MS. As of the start of the 2025 season, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves will be relocating to Columbus, GA.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Southern League Stories from May 3, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central